Scottish Executive

Air Services

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way (a) it, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise have contributed to the UK-wide aviation review.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has worked in partnership with the UK Government on the aviation policy review as it affects Scotland. The Executive has also ensured that Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have been involved at all stages of the policy development process and have been represented directly on associated working/steering groups.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding insurance charges to be levied on air flights following 11 September 2001.

Lewis Macdonald: None.

Airports

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to (a) Her Majesty's Government, (b) the Civil Aviation Authority and (c) BAA Scottish Airports to ensure that airport tax levels at (i) Glasgow, (ii) Edinburgh and (iii) Aberdeen Airports are not set at a level which would put these airports and the airline operators who use them at any economic disadvantage or would act as a disincentive to tourists and visitors using these airports.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive does not plan to make any representations to the UK Government, Civil Aviation Authority or BAA Scottish Airports on airport tax/charges. BAA Scottish Airports has, and is continuing to have, considerable growth in passenger numbers. The taxation regime does not appear to provide either an economic disadvantage or a disincentive to tourists and other visitors.

Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will either reimburse or make additional funds available to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd for the cost of security imposed on it by instructions issued by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Lewis Macdonald: The cost of additional security measures applied by the UK Government following the events of 11 September, have, to date, been met by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd from its resources which included Scottish Executive support.

Airports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the provision and need for security at airports managed by the Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and what level of security it views as required at each airport operated by HIAL, detailing its reasons for its position on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has regular contact with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) about a range of issues including security. The Executive believes that the level of security at airports should be appropriate for the type and size of the operation at individual airports; ensuring at all times the safety and security of passengers and aircraft.

Ambulance Service

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often front-line ambulance vehicles should be replaced.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service's vehicle procurement programme provides for 64 front-line emergency ambulances being commissioned into service each year. These will replace vehicles that are seven years old.

Ambulance Service

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ambulance paramedics there currently are; whether this is the optimum number required and, if not, what the required optimum number is, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the current numbers of paramedics in each Ambulance Service Division. Across Scotland, this represents an increase of nearly 180, or 30%, on the numbers in post in 1999. Over the next three years, the service plans to train around 250 more technicians to become paramedics in pursuance of its objective of providing a paramedic response to every emergency call by 2005.

  


Division (Covering NHS Board Areas)


Current Number of Paramedics




South West (Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire and Arran, 
  Argyll and Clyde)


149




West Central (Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow)


143




South East (Lothian and Borders)


124




East Central (Tayside, Fife and Forth Valley)


147




North East (Grampian, Orkney and Shetland)


92




North West (Highland and Western Isles)


96




Scotland


751

Audiology

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £10 million released to NHS boards for community care as announced on 22 February 2001 was allocated (a) to audiology services and (b) specifically for digital hearing aids.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The £10 million was primarily intended to reduce pressure on hospital beds and allow people to be discharged from hospital, directly into the community, and support them in maintaining their independence. No specific sum was designated for audiology services but it was one of the areas suggested where this allocation could be used.

  We are aware of four NHS boards which took advantage of this and allocated a total of £350,000 to audiology services. No information is held centrally on how much of this was used for digital hearing aids.

  I would also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24850 on 19 April 2002, which announced additional funds of £750,000 for audiology services during 2002-03.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE5603/2002 of 27 March 2002, whether it will give a breakdown of the £2.75 million investment in liquid-based cytology.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The £2.75 million investment in liquid-based cytology will be used to meet either the capital or first year leasing costs for the processing machines, for the training costs of the laboratory and smear taking staff and proficiency testing costs. Exact figures will not be known until the machine tendering exercise and training has been completed.

Central Heating

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many surveyors are employed by Eaga Partnership (Scotland) to assess the work required prior to a grant being awarded under the central heating programme.

Hugh Henry: Eaga currently have 85 surveyors working under the central heating programme.

Civil Servants

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of civil servants employed by it in each grade band are ordinarily resident in (i) Aberdeen, (ii) Dundee, (iii) Edinburgh, (iv) Glasgow and (v) East Dunbartonshire.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on core Scottish Executive staff as at 1 March 2002, by grade and recorded home address, is provided in the table. The accuracy of addresses recorded centrally for employees is dependent on the individual employee informing their personnel officer should they change address.

  Numbers

  


Grade


Home address




Aberdeen


Dundee


Edinburgh


Glasgow


East Dunbartonshire




SCS


0


1


89


6


2




C


1


0


298


43


4




B


18


15


838


160


3




A


1


13


650


66


0




  Percentages of Each Grade

  


Grade


Home address




Aberdeen


Dundee


Edinburgh


Glasgow


East Dunbartonshire




SCS


0


1


57


4


1




C


0


0


52


8


1




B


1


1


41


8


0




A


0


1


40


4


0

Communities Scotland

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Communities Scotland operates a percentage target for home ownership when approving housing projects for grant funding; if so, whether this target is uniform across the country or varies geographically, and what any such national or local targets are.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Communities Scotland does not operate a specific percentage target for home ownership. Local programmes are developed in close consultation with partners and reflect a broad range of existing partnership arrangements. Local programmes are based upon local housing market and needs analysis to identify, consistent with our strategy, the demands, needs and opportunities for housing investment. It is this local analysis that dictates the requirement for home ownership in an area.

Community Care

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase facilities and opportunities for respite care for children and adults with disabilities and special needs, either directly or by supporting voluntary or statutory agencies.

Mr Frank McAveety: Under our Carers Strategy we have made £10 million a year available to local authorities from April 2000 for services to support carers, including respite. Authorities are also being given substantial new resources to provide an extra 22,000 weeks of short break services each year across Scotland by 2003-04. Authorities must decide how best to use all these resources in consultation with carers, service users and their representatives.

Council on Tribunals

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were registered with the Scottish Committee on the Council of Tribunals in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02.

Mr Jim Wallace: None. The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals, which operates under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992, has no authority to investigate or adjudicate on complaints about the handling of individual cases by tribunals or inquiries under its supervision.

Education

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA and the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding the availability of modern languages, such as Japanese and Russian, in secondary schools.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not discussed these specific issues with either COSLA or the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). Following the publication of the report of the Action Group on Languages, Citizens of a Multilingual World , the Scottish Executive Education Department provides funding to local authorities to support the learning and teaching of any language other than English. The SQA makes provision for a range of languages including Japanese and Russian.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with BP plc about plans for the proposed redevelopment of Bo'ness.

Lewis Macdonald: We have had no discussions with BP plc on this topic.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any submissions or correspondence it has received from BP plc about proposed redevelopment plans for Bo'ness publicly available.

Lewis Macdonald: We have received no submissions from BP on this subject.

Europe

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Head of its EU Office in Scotland House has had in the last year with (a) the UK Permanent Representative to the European Union, (b) Directors General of the European Commission and (c) the Director General of the General Secretariat of the European Council.

Mr Jim Wallace: Staff in the Scottish Executive EU Office have a wide range of meetings, formal and informal, with representatives of EU institutions and bodies, including UKRep, the Commission and the council. It is not our practice to disclose details of such official-level contacts. These contacts are numerous, take place at many different levels, are not all recorded, and can be in the context of confidential negotiations.

Freight

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the Freight Facilities Grant scheme to increase the volume of mail originating in Scotland which is currently carried by rail.

Lewis Macdonald: The Freight Facilities Grant scheme aims to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail and waterborne modes of transport by helping companies invest in the facilities needed to compete in financial terms with road transport. This scheme is an important part of the Scottish Executive's transport policy which involves a doubling of resources to £36 million in the three-year period up to 2003-04.

  The opportunity to take advantage of this grant scheme already exists for companies moving mail originating in Scotland. However, the decision about whether to transfer mail from road to rail is a commercial matter for individual companies to make.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant midwifery posts there currently are, broken down by NHS board area.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The latest available information on the number of midwifery vacancies is shown in the following table:

  Midwifery Vacancies by Health Board Whole Time Equivalent: at March 2001

  

 

WTE




Total Vacancies


Became vacant in:


Vacancies as a percentage of 
  establishment




Less than 3 months


3 months or more


Unknown


Total


3 months or more




Scotland


31.3


26.6


1.2


3.5


1.3%


0.0%




Argyll and Clyde


50.0


1.5


-


3.5


2.1%


-




Ayrshire and Arran


-


-


-


-


-


-




Borders


-


-


-


-


-


-




Dumfries and Galloway


-


-


-


-


-


-




Fife


1.5


1.0


0.5


-


1.0%


0.3%




Forth Valley


0.5


0.5


-


-


0.3%


-




Grampian


3.3


2.6


0.7


-


1.3%


0.3%




Greater Glasgow


9.1


9.1


-


-


1.9%


-




Highland


0.8


0.8


-





0.6%


-




Lanarkshire


-


-


-





-


-




Lothian


11.1


11.1


-


-


3.5%


-




Orkney


-


-


-


-


-


-




Shetland


-


-


-


-


-


-




Tayside


-


-


-


-


-


-




Western Isles


-


-


-


-


-


-




  Source: ISD(M)36 ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Excludes midwives in training.

  2. Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust have not submitted a return and data for Lomond and Argyll Primary Care NHS Trust and North Glasgow Hospitals NHS Trust were incomplete

  3. Establishment is the sum of staff in posts under review and total vacancies.

  4. The vacancy figures relate to posts vacant at 31 March 2001, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

Health

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the members of its Advisory Panel for the Review of Management and Decision-Making in NHSScotland were selected; why no patients' representative was included on the panel; how it will ensure that patients' interests are being addressed by the panel, and what budget has been set aside to cover the costs of the panel.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Advisory Panel for the Review of Management and Decision-Making is intended to act as a high level reference group which will inform the overall strategic direction of the review. Its membership is not intended to be representative, and members have been invited to serve in a personal capacity for their individual expertise and particular experience, much of which brings a perspective from outside NHSScotland.

  Since the provisional announcement on 3 April, an additional member has accepted my invitation to participate. She is an experienced carer and user of health services.

  The review itself will be conducted throughout in an open and inclusive manner. A central objective will be to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including patients' groups.

  The only costs directly associated with the advisory panel will be reimbursement of reasonable travel and subsistence expenses incurred in connection with attendance at quarterly meetings.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects in (a) Stirling and (b) Clackmannanshire have benefited from funding from the Remote and Rural Areas Resource Initiative in each of the last two years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Remote and Rural Areas Resource Initiative (RARARI) has invited bids for project support in two bidding rounds held in 2000 and 2001. No bids were received from Stirling or Clackmannanshire. Details of the projects for which it has agreed to provide funding are available direct from RARARI or from its website at:

  www.rarari.org.uk.

  One of RARARI's aims is to identify and support projects which are likely to be of benefit to all remote and rural areas in Scotland.

Higher Education

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were to higher education institutions for postgraduate certificate of education courses in (a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) biology and (d) all other subjects in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows how many applications there were to higher education institutions (HEIs) for Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses in chemistry, physics, biology and all other subjects from 1997-98 to 2001-02:

  

 

1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01*


2001-02




Chemistry


115


99


123


114


161




Physics


89


78


74


64


44




Biology


222


213


260


300


424




Other Secondary Subjects


2,473


2,033


2,291


2,441


3,018




  Source: HEIs.

  Note:

  *From 2001-01 applicants have been able to apply to more than one HEI at a time therefore numbers may include duplicate applications.

Higher Education

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many acceptances there were for postgraduate certificate of education courses in (a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) biology and (d) all other subjects at higher education institutions in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: Figures on acceptances to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses in each of the last five years are not available.

  The following table shows how many entrants there were to PGCE courses in chemistry, physics, biology and all other subjects at higher education institutions from 1996-97 to 2000-01:

  

 

1996-97


1997-98


1998-97


1998-2000


2000-01




Chemistry


27


34


37


58


48




Physics


60


44


36


36


29




Biology


30


31


42


76


66




Other Secondary Subjects


774


792


748


834


865




  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Higher Education

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students graduated from higher education institutions with a postgraduate certificate of education qualification in (a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) biology and (d) all other subjects in each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows how many students graduated from higher education institutions with a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) qualification in chemistry, physics, biology and all other subjects from 1996-97 to 2000-01:

  

 

1996-97


1997-98


1998-97


1998-2000


2000-01




Chemistry


27


33


34


53


38




Physics


52


37


30


27


27




Biology


29


29


40


74


62




Other Secondary Subjects


708


721


664


760


771




  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Hospitals

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children died in each year from 1975 to 1985 in Simpson's Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh, or following transfer to another hospital, after receiving an intrauterine transfusion.

Malcolm Chisholm: There were no deaths at Simpson's Memorial Maternity Hospital during the years 1980 to 1985 following intrauterine transfusion. No intrauterine transfusions were recorded at the hospital during the period.

  Information on deaths following intrauterine transfusion for 1975 to 1979 is not available from centrally held data.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial incentives and support will be made available to private house owners to assist with repairs in the light of Issues in Improving Quality in Private Houses: The first report of the Housing Improvement Task Force .

Ms Margaret Curran: Improving Quality in Private Housing set out the views of the Housing Improvement Task Force on the main strengths and weaknesses in the way private houses are maintained and repaired as well as the house buying and selling process. It makes no recommendations for action at this stage and is intended to provide the basis for stage two of the task force's work which will look at future policy options including what, if any, changes should be made to the housing improvement and repair grant system and other possible ways of supporting and encouraging owners to maintain their homes.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale has been set for its stage two proposals referred to in Issues in Improving Quality in Private Houses: The first report of the Housing Improvement Task Force .

Ms Margaret Curran: The task force has been asked to complete its work and make its final report and recommendations early in 2003.

International Organisations

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance was given to the International Organisation for Migration to publicise the compensation scheme made available by Germany from 12 August 2000 to former slave and forced labourers and other victims of Nazi injustice.

Mr Jim Wallace: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) did not request assistance from the Scottish Executive. The IOM publicised the scheme throughout the UK without any assistance from government.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the collection rate of fines due to Glasgow Sheriff Court was in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information is not readily available in the form requested. In Glasgow Sheriff Court from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 a total of £893,454 was remitted to the exchequer in payment of fines. This will in part relate to fines imposed in previous years.

Justice

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the Report of the Legal Advice and Information Provision in Scotland Working Group.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am announcing today the Executive's initial response to the Report of the Legal Advice and Information Provision in Scotland Working Group. I very much value the work carried out by the working group and broadly agree with the key issues and their proposals for the immediate way forward. I am therefore launching a practical programme of development work which picks up on many of the recommendations made by the group. This should provide the information which the Executive requires to take strategic decisions on the provision of legal advice services with the ultimate aim of improving access to justice, by creating a more joined-up, quality-assured network of advice, information and help for the people of Scotland.

Legislation

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether risks of potential fines for non-compliance with any relevant legislation and EU directives are borne by (a) it, (b) Scottish Water or (c) its contractors.

Ross Finnie: Any fine imposed on the UK by the European Court of Justice resulting from a failure to meet an EC obligation would be borne by the UK Government as the member state. If the fine was a result of a breach of EC law on a devolved matter in Scotland, then paragraph B3.25 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Policy Issues would apply. Further liability for the breach would depend on the individual circumstances of the breach.

  In relation to domestic legislation, it is the general rule that Scottish Water is liable for any fine arising from the failure of its water supply and wastewater operations to meet legal requirements, subject to any defences available to it under the relevant legislation. With regard to wastewater discharges, however, there are circumstances where Scottish Water can reduce or transfer the risk associated with prosecution. These include the use of trade effluent consents or agreements and also within some Public/Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements, whereby the discharge consent rests with the PPP concessionaire.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning will to reply to my letter of 19 March 2002 regarding Caledonian MacBrayne and Northern Isles ferry services.

Lewis Macdonald: I wrote to the member on 29 April in response to his letter.

National Insurance Contributions

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA following the announcement in the UK Budget 2002 of an increase in employers' National Insurance contributions by 1%.

Mr Andy Kerr: This issue is being considered as part of our discussions with COSLA on the current Spending Review.

Oil and Gas Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted prior to the announcement in the UK Budget 2002 of those fiscal measures which impact on oil and gas company profits and, if so, what response it gave and, if not, when it was first informed.

Lewis Macdonald: We are in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the oil and gas industry.

  The Scottish Executive has no function in relation to UK fiscal policy.

Oil and Gas Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the new 10% supplementary charge to the existing corporation tax on oil and gas company profits announced in the UK Budget 2002 will have on the Scottish economy.

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of a postponement of the new 10% supplementary charge to the existing corporation tax on oil and gas company profits announced in the UK Budget 2002 until a full economic impact assessment and consultation with the oil and gas industry has been carried out and whether it will seek any amendment to this scheme.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25519 on 21 May 2002.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on staff transfers from one establishment run by Premier Prison Services Ltd or any of its subsidiaries to another and what information it is (a) able and (b) willing to release.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Premier Prison Services are not required to provide the information on staff transfers. This is an internal matter for the company.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information or briefings Premier Prison Services Ltd or any of its subsidiary companies have voluntarily provided to it in each month in each of the past three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited has submitted an operational report to the Scottish Prison Service, via the SPS Controller on site, each month since the prison opened in March 1999.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25266 by Mr Jim Wallace on 7 May 2002, whether the answer is compatible with the remarks made by the Deputy Minister for Justice in the debate on the prison estates review on 18 April 2002 ( Official Report , col. 10963) giving information on the number of staff transfers from one Premier Prisons Services Ltd establishment to another.

Mr Jim Wallace: Question S1W-25266 related to the number of staff transfers from HM Prison Kilmarnock and my remarks related to staff turnover. In that the latter included transfers, the two are compatible.

Renewable Energy

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any currently environmentally designated areas are affected by planning applications for wind farms.

Lewis Macdonald: Planning applications for windfarms of 50MW and under, would fall to be considered by local authorities and information on such applications is not collated centrally. Any proposal for a wind powered electricity generating station with a capacity in excess of 50MW, would fall to be considered by the Scottish ministers, under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Officials are currently in receipt of four such applications which will be determined by ministers in due course.

  None of these four applications is sited in local, national or international designated areas.

Renewable Energy

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any concerns have been raised over the extraction of peat from the site of the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest and, if so, what its response was to any such concerns.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any concerns over any potential extraction of peat from Whitelee Forest.

Renewable Energy

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction in the production of greenhouse gases has been effected by the advent of wind generated electricity.

Allan Wilson: The most recently published data shows that wind generation in Scotland in 2000 accounted for 216.7GWh. Depending on the fuel that is displaced, this will reduce emissions by about 20,000 to 40,000 tonnes of carbon.

  Scottish wind generation has increased significantly since 2000 and, in tandem with other renewable technologies, will assist in filling the gap as existing generation retires over the coming decades, contributing further carbon savings.

Renewable Energy

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any concerns have been raised about possible despoiling of an area of special scientific interest in regard to the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest.

Allan Wilson: There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or international nature conservation sites within the vicinity of the proposed wind turbine development at Whitelee Forest, and the Scottish Executive is not aware of any concerns about possible damage to SSSIs in this area.

Renewable Energy

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what flood risk assessment has been completed in connection with the proposed wind farm at Whitelee Forest; whether any such assessment has been provided to (a) it, (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and (c) the local authorities in the area, and whether any such assessment will be published.

Lewis Macdonald: The Environmental Statement prepared on behalf of the developer addressed the issue of flood risk assessment and will be addressed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the local authorities concerned as part of the consultation process.

  The application by Scottish Power for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct a wind farm in Whitelee Forest is currently under consideration by Scottish ministers. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment further on this particular project.

Road Safety

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) elderly people, (b) visually impaired people and (c) children in Fife have been treated at hospital after being knocked over by a cyclist on a public footpath.

Malcolm Chisholm: In the past four calendar years two cases have been recorded on national hospital discharge summaries of Fife residents requiring admission to a general acute hospital, as a result of a collision with a pedal cycle in a "non-traffic" accident. Both cases were children aged under 16 years. National data are insufficiently detailed to establish whether the accidents occurred on a public footpath.

  Other accidents may have occurred during this period, where the pedestrian was treated in a hospital accident and emergency department but not admitted to hospital. Central data cannot identify such cases.

Roads

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the closure of the Clyde Tunnel would have on journey times within Glasgow and the surrounding area.

Lewis Macdonald: The Clyde Tunnel is a local road. As such it is the responsibility of Glasgow City Council as the local roads authority for the area.

  Glasgow City Council has a detailed traffic model of the Glasgow Area that would be most suitable for the analysis of potential re-routing of traffic and associated delays on the Glasgow road network, should the tunnel be closed.

Roads

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the safety of (a) elderly, visually-impaired and disabled people and (b) children in relation to cyclists using public footpaths.

Iain Gray: In the absence of any indicators to suggest that there is a significant problem in this area, I consider that existing remedies are adequate to address such problems as we have.

  Section 129 (5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 makes it an offence to cycle on a footway which has not been redetermined for use by both pedestrians and cyclists.

  It is of course a matter for the police and for Procurators Fiscal to proceed as they deem appropriate when any offence has been committed.

Scotland Act 1998

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24643 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 April 2002, whether it will detail each of the 17 times it has used section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 to implement EU Community obligations.

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24643 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 April 2002, in respect of which (a) EU directives and (b) subject matters section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 was used in each case.

Mr Jim Wallace: The answer to S1W-24643 should in fact have read 15 times. The actual and planned uses of section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 are contained in the following lists:

  Section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 has already been used in the following cases;

  The Sea Fishing (North-East Atlantic Control Measures) Order 2000 (SI 2000/1843) which implemented Council Regulation 2791/1999.

  The Feeding Stuffs (Enforcement) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/2325) which implemented Council Directive 95/53/EC, Commission Directive 98/68/EC and, in part, Council Directive 1999/20/EC.

  The Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/498). These regulations implemented the European Union ban on exports immediately following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (initially Commission Decision 2001/145/EC).

  The Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/627). These regulations simply extended by one day the above regulations without further amendment.

  The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Export of Vehicles) (Disinfection of Tyres) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/887). These regulations implemented another part of the European Union export ban.

  The Biocidal Products Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/880). These regulations implemented Directive 1998/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the council concerning the placing of Biocidal Products on the market.

  The Environmental Protection (Controls on Injurious Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3141). These regulations implemented, in part, Commission Directive 1999/51/EC adapting to technical progress for the fifth time Annex 1 to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations, and administrative provisions of the member states relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (tin, PCP and cadmium.)

  Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/528). These regulations implemented Regulation 2037/2000 of the European Parliament and of the council of 29 June 2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

  The Hemp (Third Country Imports) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/787) which implemented Regulation 245/2001.

  It is planned to use section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 to implement the following obligations:

  Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the council concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations (Dangerous Preparations Directive).

  Commission Directive 2001/58/EC amending for the second time Directive 91/155/EEC defining and laying down the detailed arrangements for the system of specific information relating to dangerous preparations in implementation of Article 14 of European Parliament and Council Directive 1999/45/EC and relating to dangerous substances in implementation of Article 27 of Council Directive 67/548/EEC (safety data sheets).

  Commission Directive 2001/59/EC adapting to technical progress for the 28th time Council Directive 67/548/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances.

  Commission Directive 2001/60/EC adapting to technical progress Directive 1999/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the council concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparations.

  Commission Directive 2001/91/EC adapting to technical progress for the eighth time Annex 1 to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations, and administrative provisions of the member states relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (hexachloroethane).

  Commission Directive 2001/78/EC of 13 September 2001 concerning the use of standard forms in the publication of public contract notices.

Scottish Executive Departments

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21578 by Ross Finnie on 22 January 2002, when the Environment and Rural Affairs Department office in Perth will become operational.

Ross Finnie: The completion date for the construction of the new office building is 16 December 2002. Thereafter internal furnishings and fittings will be installed and it is anticipated that the new office will become operational in February 2003.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial irregularities or budgetary losses were identified during the annual audit of departments and divisions in each of the last four years; if so, in which department or division each such loss or irregularity was identified, and what the amount involved was, also expressed as a percentage of the division or department's annual budget.

Mr Andy Kerr: The accounts of the Scottish Executive for 1999-2000 and 2000-01, together with the associated audit reports, have been laid before the Parliament and are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. Prior to this, the Scottish Executive did not exist.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions since May 1999 it has used (a) hotels, (b) commercial conference centres and (c) any other non-Executive venues for policy launches, press conferences and business breakfasts and how much was paid to the venue in each case.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information in the form requested, regarding policy launches, press conferences and business breakfasts is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Staff

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many functions, receptions, and conferences its representative in Washington DC has attended since appointment and (a) where and (b) when any such events took place.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive representative in Washington attends a wide range of meetings, formal and informal. It is not our practice to disclose details of such official-level contacts.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive from the Scottish Transport Group Pension Funds Trustees pension records and any other information necessary to the calculation of ex-gratia payments to individual former members of the pension schemes.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24554 on 26 April 2002.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed either (a) directly or (b) indirectly through a third party to Care in Craigmillar; how much each individual contribution was, and on what date each contribution was made in each year since 1997.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has made no direct contributions to the project Caring in Craigmillar. I can confirm, however, that the Craigmillar Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) has agreed to contribute the sum of £64,000 to Caring in Craigmillar from its 2002-03 SIP Fund allocation.

  The City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed that Caring in Craigmillar will manage a service level agreement covering support to the elderly from April 2002. The service prior to that date was delivered by the project Phonelink.

  Craigmillar SIP has also supported Phonelink from its SIP fund allocation as follows:

  


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01


2001-02




£9,000


£30,000


£40,000


£60,000


£60,000

Teachers

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursery teachers are currently employed in each local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the number and full time equivalent of teachers employed in pre-school education centres as at September 1999.

  

 

Number of Teachers


Teachers Full Time Equivalent




Scotland


1,940


1,566




Aberdeen City


136


114.1




Aberdeenshire


95


77.3




Angus


55


34.7




Argyll and Bute


21


8.4




Clackmannanshire


19


18.0




Dumfries and Galloway


45


35.5




Dundee City


62


58.4




East Ayrshire


29


27.5




East Dunbartonshire


29


24.8




East Lothian


57


44.7




East Renfrewshire


28


23.9




Edinburgh, City of


228


179.8




Eilean Siar


7


3.8




Falkirk


47


40.3




Fife


132


110.3




Glasgow City


195


178.4




Highland


94


50.9




Inverclyde


20


17.1




Midlothian


40


34.1




Moray


34


23.9




North Ayrshire


42


36.3




North Lanarkshire


80


72.7




Orkney Islands


18


9.9




Perth and Kinross


64


49.7




Renfrewshire


32


28.5




Scottish Borders


58


39.4




Shetland Islands


22


13.2




South Ayrshire


39


32.0




South Lanarkshire


84


71.2




Stirling


45


36.3




West Dunbartonshire


22


19.6




West Lothian


61


51.5

Teachers

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average salary is for a nursery teacher on entering the profession.

Nicol Stephen: Nursery teachers are paid on the same scale as other teachers employed in local authorities. The salary scale ranges from £16,644 to £26,670. The starting salary for probationer teachers from 1 August 2002 will be £16,644 rising to £17,726 from 1 January 2003.

Teachers

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether nursery teachers' salaries are subject to regular appraisal and, if so, through what mechanism.

Nicol Stephen: As previously outlined in the answer given to question S1O-4974 on 28 March 2002, nursery teachers are paid on the same scale as other teachers employed by local authorities. Their salaries are reviewed and negotiated by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers.

Traffic

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it promotes best practice in town centre traffic management.

Lewis Macdonald: Guidance on best practice for traffic management, and other road-related issues, is contained within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges published by HMSO. The guidance and advice contained within this series of documents has been agreed and published jointly by National Overseeing Departments, which includes the Scottish Executive, and is intended for use by local authorities.

  The Scottish Executive also hosts regular Traffic Signal User Group meetings for local council practitioners where advice on best practice is discussed and disseminated.

Traffic

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidelines exist on the installation of traffic lights in towns and, in particular, on the maximum number of sets of traffic lights practicable within a defined area.

Lewis Macdonald: General advice on traffic signalled junctions is contained in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges , in Local Transport Notes and in Traffic Advisory Leaflets.

  For pedestrian crossings guidance suggests a minimum spacing of 100 metres to adjacent signals, depending on local circumstances.

  There is no specific guidance on the maximum number of sets of traffic signals in a defined area. This would be determined by the density and other characteristics of the road network being managed.

  Responsibility for traffic management on local roads is a matter for determination by the individual traffic authorities.

Traffic

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has carried out or commissioned into the effectiveness of bus lanes in speeding up traffic flows in town centres.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive commissioned the study A Comparative Evaluation of Greenways and Conventional Bus Lanes in 1999 and the report was published in 2000. The report is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 6476).

Water Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age of the pipe infrastructure within the water network was in each of the past five years, broken down by local authority area or as small an area as possible.

Ross Finnie: Information on the age of the public water supply distribution network is not held centrally by the Executive. This information may be available from Scottish Water, 6 Castle Drive, Carnegie Campus, Dunfermline.